Toasting Forks
by Jessica R Vance
Summary: A member of Ghengis' horde begins to have second thoughts about their plot. Who is he? What will happen? Ooweeooweeoo...


Toasting Forks  
  
By: Jessica R Vance  
  
Rating: G  
  
Summary: One of Ghengis' horde has second thoughts about their plot. Who is he? What will happen? Find out, this week on "JRV's Crappy Cats Fic Theater!"  
  
Disclaimer: I own Mizzlerum and the speculation. Gwah.  
  
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"Tonight," Ghengis hissed to his horde, "We take the villian Growltiger by surprise. He will be with that queen of his, and he'll never know we're coming. No more will the world be troubled by his evil! He has terrorized our race for far too long. Tonight, that terror comes to and end!!!"  
  
Cheers erupted from the crowd. I gazed silently at our leader, a war raging inside my heart. I *did* believe that Growltiger should be stopped, but... taking him by surprise? With no fair fight? With his lady...?  
  
My friend Mizzlerum seemed to sense my conflict. "It wirl be arl right," he said in his thick Siamese accent, "We wirl not hurt theh rady." He sighed. "Ahnd Growrtiger must be shtopped."  
  
"I know," I answered, "But... don't you think I'm a little out of place here?" I was a British Shorthair, a member of Ghengis' horde only to put a stop to the racism that Growltiger supported. But now that the time had come to do just that, I found myself questioning our actions.  
  
"To us," Mizzlerum said, "You ahr a Siamese." He placed a paw on my shoulder, smiled, and turned back to listen to Ghengis' orders.  
  
"Charmed," I muttered.  
  
~*~  
  
Mizzlerum, myself, and three other cats floated silently toward Growltiger's barge. Six other sampans surrounded us, one carrying our "honorable" leader.  
  
"Theh tims hass come," one of the Siamese said.  
  
"Yes it has," I sighed.  
  
"Ahr you arl right?" Mizzle asked.  
  
"Yes," I answered, my voice wavering.  
  
*Clunk* Our sampan hit the side of the barge. We waited for the signal.  
  
"Chi e la... mi amore... so no qui..."  
  
Two beautiful voices flooded from the forepeak, freezing me in my tracks.  
  
"Oscillare in silencio nel vento profumato,  
Dalla marea del naviglio serenamente cullato,  
In quella tepida notte..."  
  
"Tears smarted in my eyes and I realized what I had to do - or rather, what I *couldn't* do. I wouldn't Growltiger or his lady. Couldn't. Love was a beautiful, rare thing, and I wouldn't have a hand in destroying it.  
  
Ghengis gave the signal and we climbed noiselessly aboard. As some of the cats trapped Growltiger's crew in their bunks, Ghengis, along with some others, headed to find the bravo cat.  
  
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!" Growltiger's lady screamed, and made a quick exit. Hoping to give the appearance of doing my job, I shot off after her.  
  
~*~  
  
Running along the dock, I heard a splash and knew that Growltiger had been forced off the plank. Ghengis had succeeded.  
  
I caught a glimpse of white fur disappearing under a car and followed. "Lady Griddlebone?" I called carefully.  
  
"Oh, please don't hurt me," came a whimpering, "I don't want you to kill me."  
  
"I'm not going to," I assured her, cautiously crawling under the car, "I just want to make sure that you're all right."  
  
"Why are you with them?" she asked.  
  
"I thought I wanted to help them."  
  
"...What made you change your mind?"  
  
I considered her question carefully, not sure what to say. "You... were in love," I said, "I didn't want to have any part in killing love."  
  
"What did they do to Growltiger?"  
  
The poor girl. She was shaking with fright and eyeing me as though I would eat her. How could I break the news to her?  
  
"They've killed him, haven't they?"  
  
Well, that was easy. "I'm sorry," I said, "I-"  
  
"Why didn't you stop them!?" the lady demanded, her eyes flashing.  
  
"Why didn't you?" I asked, surprisingly calmly. This quieted her, as she realized that I could have done no more than should could have. "Look. I am very sorry about Growltiger. I am. But there's nothing I could have done. It's not my fault."  
  
"Nor is it mine," she answered icily. She stood up, straight, tall, and proud. The heartbroken girl was gone, and only the Lady Griddlebone remained. "Thank you for your concern..."  
  
"Asparagus," I said.  
  
"Thank you, Asparagus. Farewell."  
  
~Fin~  
  
Um... OK. Kinda pointless, I know. I have some more planned, and depending on the kind of reviews this gets, it will have a sequel. If people want a sequel, I'll give it to them.  
  
~JRV 


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